Queen Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. 'Historical Backround' At the time of her birth, her family was mid-ranked in the English aristocracy. Her first marriage was to a minor supporter of the House of Lancaster, Sir John Grey of Groby; he died at the Second Battle of St Albans, leaving Elizabeth a widowed mother of two sons. Her second marriage, to Edward IV, was a cause célèbre of the day, thanks to Elizabeth's great beauty and lack of great estates. Edward was the second King of England, since the Norman Conquest married one of his subjects, with Elizabeth being the first consort to be crowned Queen. Her marriage enriched her siblings and children but their advancement incurred the hostility of Richard Neville, The Earl of Warwick and his various alliances, with the most senior figures in the increasingly-divided royal family.This hostility turned into open discord between King Edward and Warwick, leading to a battle of wills that finally resulted in Warwick switching allegiance to the Lancastrian cause. Elizabeth remained politically influential even after her elder son, briefly proclaimed King Edward V of England, was deposed by her brother-in-law, Richard III, and she would play an important role in securing Henry VII's accession to the throne in 1485, which ended the Wars of the Roses. However, after 1485 she was forced to yield pre-eminence to Henry's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, and her influence on events in these years, and her eventual departure from court into retirement, remains obscure. Woodville's children included the Princes in the Tower and Elizabeth of York; by the latter she was maternal grandmother of Henry VIII and great-grandmother of King Edward VI, Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I and the great-great-grandmother of Mary,Queen of the Scots. Through her daughter, Elizabeth of York, she is the ancestor of every English monarch since Henry VIII and every Scottish monarch since James V of Scotland. The White Queen Season 1 In Episode 1, year 1463, a lust between the Lancastrian commoner Elizabeth Woodville and the Yorkist King Edward IV, turns into a secret wedding and a new Queen of England. In Episode 2, the pregnant Elizabeth is crowned queen and welcomed by Edward's brothers Richard and George though Warwick advice's his daughters to not disguise their disapproval and Duchess Cecily,the kings mother, refuses to attend the coronation. Warwick is especially aggrieved that the king is neglecting a peace treaty with France and entertaining the Duke of Burgundy,a relation of Elizabeth and enemy to the French King. As it becomes clear that Warwick intends to make himself powerful Edward gives key posts at court to Baron Rivers and his sons,which also enrages Margaret Beaufort,whose young son Henry Tudor has had to forfeit a title to the Rivers family.When Elizabeth gives birth to a daughter,rather than a male heir,Warwick is delighted and organizes a rebellion,incarcerating Edward,Elizabeth and Jacquetta, Elizabeth's mother, killing Rivers and his sons, putting George forward as his new protege. Elizabeth swears vengeance in blood. In Episode 3, Margaret Beaufort is pleased to learn that Warwick,whose daughter Isabel is George's reluctant bride,is holding a parliament in York to have George declared the rightful monarch. However the parliament opposes Warwick's idea and Edward,Elizabeth and Jacquetta are all released. Edward,to his wife's annoyance,suggests alliances with Warwick to prevent further factions and even Elizabeth's surviving brother Anthony to acquiesce. However Edward has another revolt on his hands,supposedly led by Henry's wife Margaret of Anjou but in reality staged by Warwick and George. In Episode 4, Warwick goes ahead,routing Edward and forcing Elizabeth and her children to seek sanctuary in Westminster abbey. Jacquetta is put on trial for witchcraft - in the light of Isabel's miscarriage - but acquits herself by threatening Warwick with her great friendship with Margaret of Anjou. Henry Tudor is taken into Yorkist custody,incensing his mother,but escapes whilst Elizabeth gives birth to a son by Edward. In Episode 6, Having witnessed the murder of Henry VI,the pregnant Elizabeth is again shocked when she discovers her husband having sex with courtier Jane Shore. Her isolation is increased as Jacquetta falls dangerously ill and, aware of George's dislike of her, she appoints Anthony as her sons' guardian. In Episode 7, George becomes convinced that Elizabeth, like her late mother, is a sorceress who caused Isabel to miscarry and who has bewitched her husband. Her two sons also stand in his way to the throne. When Isabel dies he accuses Elizabeth of poisoning her but his public outcries and dealings with Louis lead to his being accused of treason and he is arrested. Despite pleas for mercy from his mother and Elizabeth, Edward has George drowned in a barrel of wine. In Episode 8, Elizabeth is concerned when Edward allows Henry Tudor home from exile but he reasons that he prefers to keep his enemies close to him. Soon afterwards Edward suddenly dies of pneumonia, appointing Richard as the regent for his young son Edward. Anne, however, encourages her husband to crown himself king as the country's enemies may take advantage of a boy king. Richard takes the boy and places him in the Tower of London, causing Elizabeth, now powerless, to again go into sanctuary with her children. Richard has Anthony Rivers and Elizabeth's son Richard Grey killed and demands her younger son, though she sends him to Flanders and gives over a changeling boy.Margaret believes that an alliance with Elizabeth, leading to Henry marrying Elizabeth's daughter, would secure her son's claim to the throne. In Episode 9, Elizabeth, fearing for the boys' safety, accepts an offer of help to rescue them by Margaret, whose son Henry is now betrothed to Elizabeth's daughter Lizzie. However the attempt fails and, learning that the boys are dead, Elizabeth believes that she was double-crossed by Margaret in her ambition to see Henry crowned king. In fact Margaret and her kinsman Buckingham lead a rebellion against Richard but it fails, due to a torrential rain-storm magically evoked by Elizabeth. Richard visits Elizabeth and expresses feelings for Lizzie but she tells her mother that she has no wish to be used as a political pawn. In the final Episode 10, Queen Anne's health is deteriorating and the death of her sickly son Edward and the knowledge that her husband loves Lizzie do not help her situation. She ends her feud with Elizabeth ,assuring her that she was not responsible for the deaths of the two boys and soon afterwards, following an eclipse, she dies. Elizabeth and her daughters are released from sanctuary and return to the court where Lizzie reciprocates Richard's feelings for her.Henry Tudor effects his rebellion - with Stanley now amongst his supporters - and at the Battle of Bosworth Field kills Richard, releasing his mother from her house arrest. Margaret thanks God that her son is declared king, a fact she had always known would happen, whilst Elizabeth, formerly a queen is now a queen mother, her daughter the White Princess. Category:Characters Category:House of York Category:Woodville Family Category:Yorkists Category:Queens